| The Heritage Carriages Project - Go Great Western
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The West Somerset Railway is a magnificent recreation of a Great Western Railway branch line. Fine GWR locomotives haul passengers in comfort through splendid scenery between delightful and varied GWR stations. Attractive and historic GWR signalling allows for ordinary services and exciting gala events. The WSR is now properly connected to the national railway network. And yet there is a gap.
The railway's carriages are exclusively British Railways carriages from the 1950s and 60s. These are appropriate for the very end of steam trains in the UK but somewhat utilitarian and not at all "GWR" in character. There has long been a feeling that the WSR needs to fill this gap.
Now there is a chance to do just that. The Trust (with the help and assistance of the West Somerset Railway plc and the West Somerset Railway Association) is embarking on an exciting project intended to:
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| • | restore one or more rakes of genuine GWR carriages for use on the railway |
| • | build a suitable traditional carriage shed and workshop where the Trust's carriages can be restored, kept safely under cover and made available to the travelling public |
| • | create an associated museum of rail travel, based on the carriage collection. |
How can you help? We will apply for grant funding for the project. That cannot be done until we have obtained the vehicles, agreed an option to buy land for the shed/museum and have been granted the necessary planning permission. So we need to enlist as many personal contributors as possible to get the project moving and to generate the seed-capital for those steps. More than anything, the Trust needs a regular income to progress the project.
If you can, please fill in the form. If you contribute £10 or more per month you will become a "Friend of the Heritage Carriages Project" and we will keep you in close touch with what is happening. £10 a month? That is less than a chocolate bar a day, and so much healthier and more satisfying! If you are a tax payer, the value of your contribution is increased by the tax that the Trust can recover on your contributions.
If you have practical skills, suggestions or comments, please email the Trust at info@wssrt.co.uk or write to us at The Railway Station, Willtion, Somerset TA4 4RQ.
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The Trust use PayPal for online donations. If you can make a donation please click this button.
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© West Somerset Steam Railway Trust
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• Latest Project News and Pictures
• Artists impression click here
• The Project Team
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Robin White
Project leader and land/vehicle purchase |
Ray Casely
Fundraising |
David Holmes
Land, buildings, planning |
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Ian Coleby
Museum |
John Wood
Vehicle care |
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